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Our Military Affiliations

NEWS FROM 5001 SQUADRON (RAF)

Sqdn Ldr Dave Green, the OC 5001 Squadron has written to say “This year has, again, seen 5001
Squadron heavily committed in support of UK military operations worldwide. The Squadron’s core
capability, to rapidly construct aircraft hangars and other items of Technical Working Environments
(TWE) at austere locations, has been a key enabler for deployed forces and continues to be in high
demand.
The largest task this year has been the construction of TWE in support of Op SHADER, the UK’s
contribution to the coalition campaign against Daesh. This has involved our Facilities Installation
Teams constructing aircraft shelters at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus where the teams have constructed
Rapid Environmental Shelters (RESs) as well as an Environmentally Conditioned Armament Storage
Shelter (ECASS) to support Tornado and Typhoon aircraft conducting missions over Iraq and Syria.
Teams from the Squadron have also deployed to the Middle
East to construct aircraft shelters for use by the RAF’s Reaper
deployment in the region, which is again part of the UK’s
contribution to the campaign against Daesh. These Remotely
Piloted Air Systems, whilst being considerably lighter than
modern combat aircraft, have a large wing span which
necessitated the construction of the larger variant of RES
equipped with a “heli-door”, normally used to allow access for
large rotary wing aircraft. These tasks also posed challenges
TWE in Middle East © Crown Copyright/MOD due to the austere location of the detachment and the harsh
environmental experienced during the build; which saw not only the expected high temperature but
also extremely high winds and dust storms which prolonged the task and damaged equipment.
In the UK, the Squadron has provided aircraft shelters for an environmental trial of Typhoon aircraft
at RAF Coningsby. This trial was a success and advantageous to all parties; the Typhoon Force
proving the viability and benefits of utilising small aircraft shelters on a flight line. It also provided
5001 Squadron with an invaluable opportunity to train new personnel in TWE construction on a Fast
Jet operating base, representative of an operational deployment, whilst still being within easy reach
of home base. With over 60 TWE structures in use around the world, the Squadron has a large and
ever growing commitment to both maintain and inspect all of them on a 6 monthly basis as well as
repairing damage and faults as required to ensure they remain safe and provide the required
capability.
The coming year is sizing up to be just as busy as the last as far as planned construction tasks are
concerned, with site surveys having already been undertaken for the construction of TWE in the
Falkland Islands to support the return of Chinook Helicopters. Planning is already at an advanced
stage and equipment is being prepared for the long sea voyage. Planning is also in progress for the
construction of TWE to support aircraft trials in the Outer Hebrides and Indian Ocean. Two very
different locations, which will each come with their own logistical and technical challenges, but will
again prove the capability and worldwide role of 5001 Squadron.
This year has also seen the Squadron change in structure with the introduction of a new Spearhead
Support Engineering role. This will complement the Squadron’s current roles and provide a coherent
and agile support engineering capability held at readiness to enable RAF deployed operations. As
part of this new capability, the Squadron’s HQ and Operations Flight have, along with the newly
constituted Spearhead element, relocated to new premises at RAF Wittering, swapping hangars and

32 | Autumn 2016 | The Journal of the Worshipful Company of Constructors